Improvement in ironing apparatus



SSheets-SheetL T.. S. WILES. 1120mm APPARATUS. No-; 177,908. Patented May 23,1876

PETEPS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON D C 6 Sheets-Sheet 2.

T. s; wuss. IRON'ING APPARATUS.

Patented May 23,1876.

WITNESSES SSheefls-Sheet 3. T- S! Q IRONING APPARATUS.

$10,177,908. Patented. May 23,1876.

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NIETERS. PHOTO LITNOGRAPHER. WASI'IU IG'I'ONv D, C.

. Y 68heets-Sheet 4.

T; S; WILES.

IRONING APPARATUS.

Patented May 23, 1876 NJHEM, PuormufuoGRAPNER, WASHINGWN. I16.

6jSheets-Sheet 5'.

nted May 2a, 1876.

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' IRON'IN N. PETERS. PHOTOJJYHOGRA BSheetv-Sheet e.

PatentedMaj 23,1876.

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' UNITED STATES PATET FFIG THOMAS s. WILES, OF ALBANY, new YORK, Assienoe. or ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT To ALONZO.PELTON ADAMS, or SAME PLACE.

A IMPROVEMENTIN IRONING APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 177,908. dated May23, 1876; application filed April 27, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS SHIRES WILEs, of'the city of Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ironing- Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the 'accompa' nyin g drawings.

This invention relates to ironing-machines in which the ironing of articles of cloth is accomplished by a metallic roller or metallic rollers, hereinafter called an ironing-roller or ironin g-rollers, adapted to be heated internally, and having a hard,-smooth surface, turning with and against a roller or rollers, hereinafter called a clothed roller or clothed rollers, having an elastic covering, with a surface of muslin, or other suitable cloth or fabric which will absorband discharge moisture, and against which i the articles will not slip so easily as against the ironing roller or rollers in passing between the rollers in being ironed thereby, and which elastic covering will temporarily yield to hems, seams, and other thick parts of the articles, so as to materially prevent undue and injurious strain and compression thereof, and tend to equalize the ironing action of the rollers upon the thin and thick parts of the articles. One such ironing-roller and sucha clothed roller, arranged to turn to get-her in surface-contact, are generally hereinafter called a set of ironing and clothed rollers.

An ironing-machine was heretofore devised with separate sets of ironing and clothed rollers, arranged reversely to each other, and opeiated substantially as described in United States Letters PatentNo. l'l5,03et, dated November 25, 1873, so that articles of sufficient length to reaclrfrom one set of the ironing and clothed rollers'into the next adjacent set, and of sufficient stiffness, would he passed between the sets of rollers, and ironed first on one side only by one set ofthe rollers, and then on the otheriside by the next set, all at one progressive automatic operation; but such a machine could-notautomatically.iron, first on one side only and next only on the other side, articles of less length than the distance betweentheadjacent sets of rollers. To overcome that defect is the princnyal object of one part of this invention, which consists in the combination, with two reverselyarranged separate sets of ironing and clothed rollers, of an intermediate active feeding device, so that when articles of less length than the distance between the two sets of rollers shall be inserted between the first set, such articles will be thereby ironed on one side only, and will be thence conducted and carried by the said feeding devicedirectly to and introduced between the next set oi. the rollers,

and will be thereby ironed only on the other side.

Another part of this invention-consists in the combination, with two separate reversely-. arranged sets of ironing and clothed rollers, of an intermediate endless apron, separate from the sets of ironing and clothed rollers, and arranged and operated so as to actively assist in conducting and carrying short or limpsy articles from one set of the rollers to,-

and introducing them between, the other set of rollers.

Another part consists in the combination,

with two separate reversely arranged sets of ironing and clothed rollers, of an intermediate moving endless apron, for carrying the articles .from one set of the rollers to the other set,

and a roller incumbent on the apron, and arranged so as to assist in introducing the articles between the second set of rollers.

' Another part consists in the combination, with two separate sets of ironing and clothed rollers, arranged revcrsely to each other, of an intermediate active feeding device, substantially such as hereinafter described, and a clearing-guide applied to the lower roller of the first set, and arranged so as to prevent adhesion of the articles to the latter roller, and direct the articles therefrom-into or upon the said feeding device.

Another part consists of two separate sets only of ironing and clothed rollers, of which the ironing roller is under the clothed roller in the first set, and the ironing-roller is over the clothed roller in thesecond set, and an active feedingdevice between the two sets of rollers, all combined, arranged, and operating together, and having an open feedingin space between'the upper rollers of the two sets, so that while articles of less length than the dis =tance between the two sets of rollers, as well its-articles of-greater length, will be passed 2 a-moos the proper side, so as to finish the articles,

and avoid the liability of scorching such articles that would occur if they should be passed a second time between both sets of rollers.

Another part consists of two separatere- Yersely-arranged sets of, ironing and clothed rollers, having all the ironing-rollers mounted to turn in constant positions, and connected with a driving-shaft by one set of gearing, and all the clothed rollers movable andadjustable toward and from the ironing-rollers, and connected with the same driving-shaft by another and separate set of gearing, all combined and arranged together so that allthe rollers will constantly remain in gear with, and be revolved by, the said drivingrshaft,whatever shall be the positions of the clothed rollers in respect to theironing-rollers. V

Anotherpart consists of two separate-sets of reversely-arranged ironing and clothed rollers, in which all the clothed rollersareconnect' ed with a rotary driving-shaft by-one set of gearing, and all the ironing-rollers are connected-with the samedriving-shaft by another separate set of changeable gearing, whereby the ironing-rollers and the clothed rollers are positively revolved together, but independently of each other, by one and the same drivingshaft, and the surface-speed of the ironingrollers can be altered, so as to produce'either a lusterless or a glossyfinish on both sides of i the articles passed between therollers, without either changing the speed of the said drivingshaft, oralt erin g that of the clothed rollers.

Another part consists of two separate sets of reversely-arranged ironing and clothed'rollers, having all the clothed rollers connected with a rotary driving-shaft by a set of changeable gearing, and all the ironing'rollers connected with the same driving-shaft by another and separate set of changeable gearing, substantially as hereinafter described,whereby the ironingrollers of both sets are positively turned together independently of the clothed rollers, and the surface-speeds of the clothed rollers and of the ironing-rollers can be separately altered, so as to properlyviron articles of greatly difl'erent thicknesses, and produce thereon either a glossy finisher a lusterless surface, as shall be required, without chang ing the speed of the said driving-shaft.

Another part consists in the combination, with a set of ironing and clothed rollers, (one mounted in movable journal-boxes over the other,) of hangers secured to the said journalboxes', and connected together bya horizontal bar having thereon weights adjustable along the bar, so as to thereby alter the pressure of different parts of the length of the upper roller against the lower roller, as shall be desirable in ironing articles of various shapes.

Another part consists in the combination, with ironing and clothed rollers in which .one of the rollers is movable and under and against an upper one, of aseat or platform arranged in proper position to be occupied by a person feeding articles to the rollers, and mounted on a pressing lever or levers connected by any suitable means with the said movable roller, so that the weight of a person on the seat or platform shall cause, or materially assist, the

pressing of the said movable roller against the upper one with the proper= .yielding force requiredinironing the articles, and so that the person, by'merely ,gettingofi' the seat or platform, will relieve the said movable roller from much or all of the pressure'which is unnecessary, and desirable to have removed,when articles are not being passed between the rollers.

Another part consists in the combination, with an ironing roller and a clothed roller, (one movable vand under the other,) of a weightedlever or leversconneeted with the movable roller .and with an operating-lever, by means of devices hereinafter described,- whereby the pressure of the weighted lever or leversean be readily applied to,,and released from, the movable roller, and the latter moved away from, and toward, and against the other roller.

Another part consists in the combination,

with two separate,reverselyfarranged, adja- I jacent sets of ironing.and;clo,thedrollers,having the clothed rollers mounted in movable bearings, of independent pressing devices. loosely connected together, so as to independently :.press the clothed roller of each set against the ironing-roller thereof, and yetso that the movement'of the clothed roller of one setvaway from, and toward, and against the ironing-roller of that set. shall cause correspondingmovementsof the clothedroller of the other set in respect .to theyironiug-roller of the latter set.

As regards the aforesaid parts of thisinvention,the clothed'rollers may be formed of any suitable materials; butanother part thereof consists in the combination, withanironing-roller, of a clothed roller arranged to turn in surface-contact with the ironing-roller, and having a covering of elastic, heat-resisting, vulcanized india-rubber, impervious to moisture, arranged between the bodyot' the roller and theouter covering of cloth or equivalent yielde ing and moisture-absorbing fabric.

Anotherpart consists in the combination, with an ironing-roller, of a'clothed roller ar-' ranged to'turn in surface-coutact-with the ironing-roller, and having an 'inner covering of elastic vulcanizedindia-rubber, surrounded by a covering of elastic heat-repelling woolen fab-1 rio, whereby the roller is made eminently suit able for use, in connection with the ironing;

roller, in ironing various articles.

mos I 3 Another part consists in the combination, with an ironing-roller, of a clothed roller having a closelyfitting elastic or yielding covering of tubular fabric extended over the edges and into the recessed ends of the body of the roller, and durably secured therein against the action of the ironing-roller by removable clamping rings, constructed either with or without an outer end facing of wood, to which may be fastened or tacked the temporary outer covering of cloth surrounding the fabric.

In the aforesaid drawings, Figure l is an elevation of one side, andFig. 2 an elevation of the other side, of an ironing-machine which embodies all the aforesaid parts of thislinvention. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the front or feeding-in end of the same machine, apart of one of the clothed rollers being shown in section. Fig. 4 is a plan of the same machine, some portions being partly broken away. Fig. 5 is a central longitudinal vertical section of the same machine; and Figs-6, 7,8, and 9 are like sections of modifications of some parts. Fig. 10 shows, in sectional elevation, one-half of the parts by which the two clothed rollers are adjusted against andaw'ay from the ironing-rollers. Fig..11 shows a longitudinal section of one of the clothed rollers, and Fig. 12 represents one of the clamping-rings by which the tubular felted covering is secured in the clothed roller.

Like parts are marked by like letters in the different figures, and the arrows therein indicate the directions in which the adjacent parts move when in use.

A is the stationaryframework, which supports all the other parts of the machine. B, Fig. 5, is the ironing-roller, and O is the clothed roller, of one set of ironing and clothed rollers, and D is the ironing-roller, and E is the clothed roller, of another set of ironing and clothed rollers. The rollers B and G of one set are shown arranged parallel and reversely to the rollers D and E of the oth'erset, and so that articles of cloth-lean be passed first through between the rollers B O, and thence directly through between the rollers D E. I arrange between thetwoj 'sets of ironing and clothed rollers a feeding device having a movement corresponding with that of the clothed rollers, so that when articles of less length than the distance between the two sets of rollers, as well as those of greater length, shall 'be passed between and ironed on one side by the first set of rollersB G, the feeding device will thence carry forward the articles and introduce them between the second set of rollers, by which the articles will be ironed on the other side.

This feeding device may have any suitable construction. In Fig. 6 it consists of a'smooth bed, 2, upon which lightly bear cloth-covered or other suitable friction 'rollers 3 turned, by gearing, with the same surface-speed as the clothed rollers G E, and acting by frictional contact with the upper surface of the articles, to move them along on the bed 2, which latter may consist of a plate, as shown, or of several rollers mounted to turn freelyin constant positions under the'rollers y.

In Fig. 8 the feeding device consists, mainly, of a bed of cloth-covered or other suitable friction-rollers,a:, turned by gearing with the same surface-speed as the clothed rollers O E.

In Fig. 9 the feeding device consists of an endless apron, w, of muslin or other suitable fabric, passing around and turned by the clothed roller E, and extended around an idlepulley roller, w, and a gravitating-roller, ta I, however, generally prefer to have the feeding device consist, mainly, of an endless apron, F, Figs. 5 and 7, which is separate from the clothed r'ollers, and extends around and is supported by separate rollers 17 v, and is turned with the same surface-speed as the clothed roller E, either by being held in yielding contact with the latter when in working position, as shown in Fig. 7, or, preferably, by having the roller v or 1; turned by gearing, as hereinafter described; and in the latter case I prefer'to have the apron F formed of a woven fabric having a weft of stiff threads, or of a fabric very flexible lengthwise of theapron, fbut'rather stiff in the transverse direction ithereof.

I G is a roller, bearing, by its gravity, gently iupon the apron 'F, and thereby revolved, and free to rise over articles passing between it and the apron, and arranged as shown in Fig. 5, so as to very materially assist the apron in directing and properly introducing the articles between the second set of ironing {and clothed rollers. Slotted guides for the journals of the roller G are shown at to, Figs. {4 and 10; H, Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, is a clearing-guide having a thin edge, bearing against ,the lower roller of the first set B (J, and arranged so as to support and direct the articles iZ from that set of rollers upon or into the feeding device, which carries or actively confducts the articles to the second set of rollers. {This clearing-guide H is shown in Fig. 4, with Qpivot-like ends t in bearingst, Fig. 5. I, Figs. 5 and 4, is a suspended clearing-blade,

{bearing against the ironing-roller -.,D of the second set. A similar clearing-blade applied to the clothed roller 0, Fig. 5, of the first set is contemplated. a

, Collars, cuffs, and other articles of cloth, generally have one side which must have a nicely-finished ironed surface, while the other side need not be, so nicely ironed. In prac- Etice, the best-finished surface is produced by the last ironing-roller to which the articles faresubjected. The articles are first introduced by hand, and in a damp condition, between the first set of rollers B O, and are thereby. considerably dried, and generally smoothed out and ironed sufficiently on one side, and are thence directed by the guide H, and conducted by the feeding device into the second set of rollers D E, which generally finish the drying of the articles and iron the other side thereof completely, and discharge the articles onto an apron or table, K, Fig. 4., Better results are generally obtained by only two sets of ironing and clothed rollers, revolving at the proper slow rate of speed, than by three or more such sets. In some cases, however, the articles are occasionally accidentallyintroduced into the first set of rollers with the Wrong side uppermost, or in a too (lamp condition, so that they will not be sufficiently dried and ironed and freed from wrinkles when discharged from the second set of rollers; and such imperfectly-ironed articles require to be again passed between an ironing and clothed roller to properly finish them. To pass such imperfectly-ironed articles again through the two sets of rollers would be very inconvenient, and would generally scorch and materially injure the articles. It is, therefore,

important that the two sets of rollers should be arranged so that the articles shall be discharged t'rom the second set of rollers with the most highly-finished side uppermost, so that a person at the delivery end of the machine can most readily see any defect in the ironing of any of the articles, and that such aperson shall then be able to immediately and convenientlypass such defective articles through between the last set of ironing and clothed rollers only. l

To secure that result I arrange the first set of rollers with the clothed roller 0 over the ironing-roller B, and the second and last set of rollers with the ironing-roller D over the clothed roller E, and with an open feeding-in space, J, between the roller D and the roller 0, substantially as shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, wherein Z indicates an article being introduced throughthe space J to the rollers D E.

The two clothed rollers O and E are connected together and to the driving-shaft L by a set of gearing, so as to be positively turned with substantially equal surface-speed by that shaft; and the two ironing-rollers B and D are geared with the same driving-shaft L by another and separate train of wheels, which communicate substantially equal surface-speed to the ironing-rollers. The gearing which connects the two clothed rollers O E with the shaft L is shown by Figs. 1 and 3, and consists of a pinion, 8, fast on that shaft, and engaged with a spur-wheel, T, which is mounted on a stud, T and is secured to a pinion, 1", which gears with a spur-wheel, g, which is mounted on a stud, q, and is secured to a pinion, g that gears with a spur-wheehp, which is on a stud,p, and engages with a spur-wheel, 0, fastened on the shaft 0 of the clothed roller E, and a spurwheel, a, which turns on a stud, n, and gears with the wheel 19, and also with a spur-wheel, n, which turns on stud a and gears with spur-wheel n, which is on stud M, and gears with a spur-wheel, M, fast on the shaft m, to which the clothed roller is secured.

The apron F is turned with substantially ,the same surface-speedas the clothed rollers, means of a spur-wheel, m Figs. 1 and 3,

gearing into a pinion, mflflfast on the shaft 11, Fig. 5,.of the endless apron. The gearing which connects the shaft L with the two ironing-rollers B D is shown by Figs. 2 and 3, and consists of a pinion, 1, fast on the shaft L, and in gear with a broad or double spur wheel or pinion, k, on a stud, k, and in gear with wheel j, which is mounted on a stud, j, and is secured to a pinion, j, which gears with a wheel, 2', that turns on a stud, i and is secured to a pinion, i, which gears with a wheel, i that turns on a stud, i and gears with a wheel, t ,that turns on a stud, i and gears with a wheel, h, fast on the shaft h of the ironing-roller B, and a wheel, 6 that turns on a stud, t and gears with the wheel '5 and also with a wheel, h fast on the shaft h of the ironing-roller D. The ironing-rollers B D are mounted to turn in the stationary journal-- The clothed rollers U E are mounted to turn in journal-boxes m 0 Figs.

boxes 71 W.

2, 4, l0, and 11, which are fitted to slide up and down in fixed ways m, 0 respectively, so that the clothed rollers can be moved and adjusted toward and in surface-contact with the ironing-rollers for use in ironing articles, and can be moved and adjusted away from the ironing-rollers, as indicated by dotted lines at O E in Fig. 5, to prevent burning the covering of the clothed rollers when the ironing-rollers are heated and articles are not being passed between the rollers.

By inspecting Fig. 1 it will be seen that the spunwheels n and p are arranged so as to be constantly in gear with the wheels M and O, which are fast on the shafts m and 0 of the clothed rollers G and E, when those rollers are in contact with the ironing-rollers B and D, and the wheels M and O are in the positions shown in full lines in Fig. 1, and also when the clothed rollers are removed from the ironing-rollers, and the wheels M and O arein the positions indicated by dotted. lines at M and 0 in Fig. 1;

In the drawings the two separate sets of gearing above specified, by which the shaft L gives independent rotary motion to the two ironing-rollers, and to the two clothed rollers, are shown formed so as to give substantially equal surface speeds to the ironing rollers and clothed rollers, so that the ironing-rollers will give a lusterless or domestic finish to the articles ironed by the rollers.

In order that the machine may be readily altered, so that the ironing-rollers B I) shall be turned with a faster surface-speed than the clothed rollers (J E, so as to give'a polish or glossy finish to the articles passed between the rollers, the pinion I, Fig. 2, is pinned or otherwise suitably secured to the shaft L, so that it can be readily removed fromthat shaft, and a larger pinion, having like teeth, fastened in its place on the shaft, as indicated by dotted lines at l, and the stud 7c is adjustable in an are about the wheel j, so as to make the pinion k gear with the wheel j, and with the said larger pinion on the shaft L; or the stud k may be permanently stationary, and

the double pinion It changed for another having the part which gears with the piniouon theshaft Lof suitable smaller diameter, for engaging with the larger pinion on that shaft; or the surface-speed of the ironing-rollers B D caube increased without ch'angingthe speed of the driving-shaft, by means of the pinion 7 Figs. 2 and 3, and the wheel 11, both of which are changeable-the pinion j for a larger one, and the wheel 71 for a corresponding smaller one.

The speed of the clothed rollers O E can also be altered, independently of the ironiugrollers, by means of the pinion r Figs. land 3, and wheel g, which are both changeable on their supporting-studs for others of different corresponding sizes.

By thus connecting'the two clothed rollers O E with the driving-shaft Lby one set of gearing made changeable, substantially as above described, and also connecting the two irouing-rollers B D with the same driving-shaft byanother and separate set of gearing, also made changeablaas above specified, the sun face-speed of the clothed rollers can be readilyaltered, so that they will beturned either at a slow rate of speed suitable for ironing very thick articles, or at different faster rates, as is desirable or necessary in-ironin g various thinner articles, all without altering the speed of the said driving-shaft; and at the same time the surface-speed of the ironing-rollers can be changed, so that they will be turned either with the same surfacespeed as the clothed rollers, to give a lusterless or domestic finish, or at a faster surface-speed than the clothed rollers, to produce a glossy ironed surface on both sides of the articles, whatever sh all be the surface-speed of the clothed rollers. NN are two hangers, secured to the sliding journal-boxes "m of the clothed roller 0, and connected together by a horizontal'bar, P, on which are removable weights Q, which are adjustablealong the bar, so that the weights by their gravity press the clothed roller 0 against the roller B with a yielding force, which can be varied and increased and lessened atdifi'erent parts of the length of the rollers, as may be desirable in ironing various.

articles.

It is very important tliatthe second set of rollers D E should be pressed together with greater forcethan the'first set B 0, and independently of the latter.

ingof the clothed rollerE against the ironing-roller D with the yielding force that is necessary in ironing the articles, and so. that when the person stops feeding the articles into the rollers and gets OK the platform or seat, the roller E is thereby released from much or all pressureagaiust the roller D that is important to have removed when articles arenot passing between the rollers. Removable weights Y are to be placed on the connected pressing-levers S, to alter and regulate the upward pressure that those levers shall exert upon the roller E; and in case there shallbe no seat or platform on those levers, the upward pressure against the roller E will be wholly caused or adjusted bymeans of the weights.

The short arms-of the levers S, Figs. 5 and 10, support and are connected together by a rock-shaft, U, on which are fastened short arms f, which are pivoted by a cross-rod, g, to the lower parts of the rods T, and fast on that rock-shaft is a hand-lever, V, Fig. 2.

When the lever V mm the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, the pressing-levers S, arms f, and rods T are in the positions shown by full lines in Fig. 10 and by dotted lines in Fig. '5, and the clothed roller E is then away from the roller D, as indicated by dotted'liues at E in Figs. 2, 5, 10. By then turning the lever Vin'to the position shown by full lines in Fig. 2, the rock-shaft U and its arms f, Figs. 5 and 10, are turned so as to first raise the rods T, and thereby lift the roller E to and against-the roller D, as shown in full lines in Fig. 5, and then, as the arms f are turned farther, until they are iu'line with the rods '1, as shown in full lines in Fig. 5, they force down the short arms of the levers'S and raise the long weighted or. platformar-ms thereof,

levers S are easily retained in such active positions by means of any suitable fastening applied to the lever V-as, for example, by a stop, 9 Fig. 2, and a removable pin, 9 projecting from ahole in the frame. When the lever Vshall be released, as by withdrawing the pin 9 that lever can be turned down into its dotted position in Fig. 2, so as to thereby release the pressing lever or levers S, and

lower therods T, with the roller E, as indi cated in Fig. 10, and the lever V can be re"- taiued in such depressed position by any suitablefa-steniug, as by a projecting removable pin in a hole, '9, in the frame.

The two rods T, Figs. 3,.5, and 10, are connected with the hangers N by two levers, WV, which are piv oted at f 1 to the frame A, so that the downward movement of the rods T, in lowering the rollerE away from the roller D, shall cause the simultaneousupward movement of the hang ers N into the positions shown in FigMIO, andthereby elevate theroller G away from the roller B, .andso that the raising of the rods T, in lifting the roller E to and against the roller D,shall cause or be attended by the downward movement of the hangers N so as to lower the roller 0 against the roller B, as in Fig. 5. The levers W are loosely connected to the rods T and hangers N by any suitable means, as, for example, by having one end of each lever extended under a lug, f Fig. 10,

. on the corresponding rod T, and the other end under a roller-stud,f Figs. 3 and 10, on the hanger N, and with a'guide-pimf, in a slot in the hanger, so that when the roller E' is against the roller D, and the roller. 0 is against the roller B, the force then applied to,

.the 1ods T to press the roller E against the roller D does not act to press the roller 0 against the roller B, and the power which then fer to heat those rollers by means of burners of the kind described in United States Letters Patent No. 165,775, dated uly 20, 1875. Such burners can be supported Within, and independently of, the ironing-rollers by a fixed perforated bar or bracket, X, Figs. 2 and 4, to which the pipes for supporting the burner and conducting gas and air thereto can be conveniently secured at one end of the rollers, as indicated by dotted lines at X in Fig. 4, and pipes for conducting away the gaseous products of the combustion can be secured to the boxes around the other end parts of the rollers, as indicated by dotted lines at X Figs. 4 and 11.

V In ironing-machines made'with an ironingroller turning against a clothed roller having a covering of cloth or fabric of fibrous material, 'the water or moisture that is driven out hot from the wet or damp articles in being i-roned by the rollersis forced into and absorbed by the fibrous covering, so that the latter becomes quite wet in its inner portion. Such clothed rollers have heretofore generally had an inner body immediately surrounded by the moisture-absorbing covering. In such cases the water absorbed by the fibrous covering will wet, soak, swell, and warp the body of the roller if of wood, and rusts or oxidizes it when of metal, and dissolves therefrom col- 'oring matter, which is gradually absorbed by the fibrous covering, so as to color the latter through to the outside, and spot, stain, and injure white goods in being passed between and ironed by the rollers.

' To overcome that defect I arrange between the wood orl metal body of the roller and the surrounding'moisture-absorbing covering a sheet, 1ayer, or covering, c, of elastic vulcanized india-rubber, of the kind commonly used for steam-packing, or any suitable kind which is impervious to the water, steam, or moisture in the surrounding fibrous covering, and which will not be dissolved, injured, or oxidized thereby, and willnot give off soluble coloring matter that will be absorbed by and through the fibrous covering, and which covering of vulcanized india-rubber will prevent the water, steam, and moisture in the fibrous covering from coming in contact with the body of the roller, and, while being firmly elastic, will long resist the softening and disintegrating tendency and action of the heat and pressure from the ironing-roller. t

In order to lessen the heating of the elastic vulcanized india-rubber covering, or facilitate the cooling and prevent I the overheating of that covering, I make thebody of the clothed roller in the form of a thin metallic shell, d, Figs. 3, 4, 5, 11, more or less open at the ends, and have the india-rubber covering 0 immediately surround the shell or drum d, so that external air will enter and circulate Within the drum d and cool the latter, which is a good conduetor of heat, and, consequently, lessenthe heat in the india-rubber covering. The'latter can be secured upon the drum (1 by suitable cement and rivets, as indicated in Fig. 11, and the drum (1 can be secured to the shaft on or o by any suitable means-as, for example, by arms d Figs. 3, 5,11, having hubs d detachably fastened to the shaft by pins-.or set-screws 01 Fig. 11, so that the shaft can be readily released and withdrawn from the roller, to permit the removal of the latter for convenience in renewing its coverings.

In order to advantageously modify the elastic action of the india-rubber covering 0, and protect the latter from the heat of the ironingroller, and increase the yielding and moisture absorbing and discharging quality of the clothed roller, I surround the india-rubber covering 0 with a closely-fitting elastic yielding covering, 1), of-woolen fabric, which is a good non-conductor of heat. This fabric is best made in the form of a tube, of suitable size, and moistened and drawn closely over the india-rubber covering 0, and then dried, so as to shrink tightly thereon.

It has been heretofore proposed to have a layer of felt form the whole or a part of the covering of a clothed roller in an ironing-machine, but not around an inner covering of elastic indiaerubber, so as to protect the lat- .ter from heat, and modify its elastic action.

To durably secure the covering 1) tightly in place around and upon the roller, I generally make the metallic body 01 with thin recessed ends, Figs. 3 and 11, and extend the fabric 1) over the ends and into the recesses, and se-- cure it therein by removable clamping-rings 00, Figs. ,11 and 12, fastened to the roller by screws (L or other suitable means, and with or without an outer wooden filling, 0. to which the outer covering 6 may be fastened bytacks.

What I claim as my invention is 1. The combination of two separate sets of ironing and clothed rollers, arranged apart and reversely to each other, and an intermediate active feeding device, whereby articles of less length than the distance between the two sets of rollers will be ironed, first on one side only by the first set of rollers, and thence carried directly to the second set of rollers, and thereby ironed only on the other side, substantially as set forth.

' 2. The combination of two separate sets of ironing and clothed rollers, B O and D E, arranged reversely to each other, and a separate endless apron; F, between the' two sets of ironing and clothed rollers, substantially as described.

3. The combination of two separate sets of ironing and clothed rollers, B O and D E, arranged reversely to each other, the intermediate endless apron F, and the incumbent roller Gr, substantially as described.

4:. The combination of two separate sets of ironing and clothed rollers, B G and D E, ar-

. ranged reversely to each other, an intermediate active feeding device, substantially such as described, and a clearing-guide, H, ar-

. ranged in respect to the feeding device and the lower'roller of the first set, as set forth.

5. Two separate sets only of ironing and clothed rollers, of which the ironing-roller B is under the'olothed roller 0 in the first set, and

the ironingroller'D is over the clothed roller Ein the second set, and an intermediate active feedin g or carrying device, all combined and operating together substantially'as set forth, and having an open feeding-in space, J, between the upper rollers of the two sets, as described.

6. The combination of two separate sets of reversely-arranged ironing and clothed rollers,

having the ironingrollers B D mounted to turn in constant positions, and the clothed rollers O E mounted to turn in.journal-boxes which are movable and adjustable toward and from the ironing-rollers, a driving-shaft, L, and two separate sets of gearing, of which one set constantly connects the said driving-shaft with the two ironing-rollers, and the other set continually connects the same driving-shaft with the two clothed rollers, wherever the latter shall be moved and adjusted in respect to the ironing-rollers, asdescribed.

7. The combination, with two separate reversely-arranged sets of ironing and clothed rollers, ot' a rotary driving-shaft, L. a set of gearing constantly connecting the said drivin gshaft with the two clothed rollers OE, and a separate set of gearing connecting the same driving-shaft with the two ironing-rollers B D, and made changeable, so that the rollers can be thereby made to produce either polished or lusterless ironed surfaces, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with two separate sets of reversely-arranged ironing and clothed rollers, of a rotary driving-shaft, L, a set of changeable gearing connecting the said driving-shaft with the two ironing-rollers B D, and a separate set of changeable gearing connecting the same driving-shaft with the clothed rollers O E, whereby the two sets of rollers can be made to properly iron articles of very different thicknesses, and also produce thereon polished ironed surfaces,

arranged under and against an upper one, D,

a seat or platform, R, arranged in proper position to be occupied by a person introducing articles between the rollers, and mounted on a lever or levers, S, connected with the said movable roller, so that the weight of the person on the seat or platform shallpress the movable roller against the upper one, substantially as described. a

11. The combination, with an ironing-roller, D, and-a clothed roller, E, movable and under the ironing-roller, of the pressing-levers S, rock-shaft U, lever V, arms f, and rods T, arranged to operate substantially as described. 12. Two separate sets of reversely-arranged ironing and clothed rollers, B O andD E, having the two, clothed rollers movable toward and from the ironing-rollers, and independently pressed against the latter by two separate weighted pressing devices loosely connected together, substantially asdescribed, so that the movements of one clothed roller away from and toward and against the ironing-roller in oneset shall cause like movements of the other clothed roller in respect to the ironing-roller in the other set.

13-111 combination with an ironing-roller, a clothed roller having an outer elastic covering of moisture-absorbing fabric, and a covering, c, of elastic, heat-resisting, vulcanized india-rubber, impervious to moisture, and arranged between and incombination with the said moisture-absorbing covering and the body of the roller, substantially as described.

1,4. In combination with an ironing-roller, a clothed roller having an outer cloth covering, 6, a body, d, immediately surrounded by an inner covering, a, of elastic vulcanized indiarubber, impervious to moisture, and an elastic porous covering, b, of woolen fabric, which is a good non-conductor of heat, and is arranged between 3 and in combination with the said outer and inner coverings, substantially as described.

15. In combination with an ironing-roller, a clothed roller having a tubular covering, b, of elastic fabric extended over the edges and into the recessed ends of the body at of the roller, and secured therein by removable clampin g-rin gs a, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses this 9th day of August, 1875.

Witnesses: THOMAS SHIRES WILES.

AUSTIN F. PARK,

JAMES THORN GOODFELLOW. 

